Suction device for corn-shelling machines.



0. M. BUSHING & A. J. WHEELER. SUOTIONDBVIGE FOB. CORN SHELLINGMACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED DBO. 24, 1910.

1,015,346. Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

2 SHEETE-SKEET 1.

3W I 23 GMRushing and G. M. BUSHING 6: A. J. WHEELER. SUCTION DEVICE FORCORN SHELLING MAGHI NES- APPLICATION FILBI) DBO. 24, 1910.

Patented Jan. 23, 1912.

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UNITED s rn rns ATE T OFFICE. Y

CLYDE IVL Rusnrne Ann ALBERT J. WHEELER, or CHARLESTON," MISSOURI.

SUCTION DEVICE non conmsnn'nmns MACHINES.

Patented Jan. 23,1912;

Application filed December 24, 1910. Serial No. 599,099.

To all whom it may concern? and ALBERT J. WHEELER, citizens of theUnited States, res1d1ng at Charleston, 1n the .county of Mississippi andState of Missouri,

have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Suction.Devic'esfo'r Corn- Shelling Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. I

This invention relates to suction devices for corn shelling machines andhas for its object to provide a very simple and efficient device of thischaracter whereby the dust which is caused in the shelling of the cornas it passes through the machine may be concentrated and directed awayfrom the machine.

creasing the 'efliciency ofthe machine as a whole.

Still another object of the invention re sides in the provision ofimproved means for positioning and mounting thefsu'ction device uponcorn shelling machines of the present construction. r

With the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists of the novel features of construction,combination and arrange-[ ment of parts hereinafter fully described andclaimed, and illustrated in the accom-.

panylng drawings, 1n wh1ch- Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a cornshelling machine, showing our improved suetion device arranged inoperative relation theretogFig. 2 is an enlarged sec tion taken on theline 272 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device removedfromthe machine"; and Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a portion of the elevatorof the chine showing the-.dust gathering hoodpo,

sitioned thereon.

Referring in detail to the drawings ignates a corn shelling machinewhich may be of any approved constructionand ofthe stationary type -orportably mounted as shown in the drawing. This machine comprises broadlya feed elevator 6, the shelling mechanism 7 which-is arranged in advanceof the feed elevator, the conveyer 8 for the shelled corn, and the cobcarriers 9 which from the machine.

the'stacker 10. I

Beneath the forwardcob carrier 9 our improved'suction device'is mounted,said'device being adapted to remove the dust and chalf which hasaccumulated in the shelling of the corn and is carriedtogether with thecobs to the forward end of the machine to be discharged upon the stacker10. By arranging our invention upon the machine as are adaptedto conveythe denuded cobs to Be it known that we, CLYDE MgRUSHING disclosed inFig. 1, all of the remaining eha ff f and dustisremoved and the cobsthus thoroughly cleaned before being discharged The value of the corncobs as a fuel is thereby greatly increased.

Our improved suction device embodies in its construction, a cylindricaldrum 12, the floor or bottom of which would preferably be composed of aplurality of pieces of board or timber, glued or otherwise suitablysecured together to prevent the same" from' warping. The circumferentialwall of the drum is formed from a single sheet of galvanized iron boltedor otherwise securedto the bottom of the drum. The top 13 of'the.

drumprojeets at one of its endsv slightly be-.

yond this circumferential Wall and upon the opposite edges of the top13the side pieces V 14 are arranged; "These side? pieces are of greaterwidth at one end than the other so that thefldrum may be horizontallypositioned beneath'the floor 9 over which the forward cob carrier 9moves. The drum is supported in position by means 'of the strap ironslew'hich are cylindrically formed at oneendand extended through theopposite edge portions of the to 13 of the drum.

These strap irons are-rigidly fastened to the inclined floor 9 of theshelling machine and I upon "their lowerv ends the nuts 16 are threaded.A longitudinal; plate 17 is a ranged-upon the under side of the top ofthe drum through which thejlower ends of: the. strap irons 15 extend.The threaded ends of these strap irons. also extend through theupperendszof't'he V-shaped hanger 18 which 7 is disposed atone side ofthe drum. 12.; The 7 lower endfof this hanger carries a" bearing 19 inwhich a shaft 20 is journaled. *This v shaft extends beneath, the drum12- and at its inner endis braced. and supportedby means Ofthe' biace br 21 which also carries vice.

pinion. 25 which is keyed upon the lower end of the shaft 24. This shaftextends through a bearing 24 fixed to the bottom of the drum 12 and atits upper end is journaled in a casting 26 which is fixed at itsopposite ends to the top 13 of the drum. said casting extending over theopening 13 in the top 13 of the drum through which the dust and chaffare drawn in the operation of the device. Upon the shaft 24 a pluralityof arms 27 are rigidly fixed. These arms radiate from the shaft and eachhas secured thereto a fan blade 28. Upon the outer end of the shaft 20 asprocket wheel 29 is keyed. Over this sprocket wheel the cob stackerchain 30 passes, through the medium of which the shaft 20 is rotated totransmit power to the fan shaft 24:. A chain tightener 31 is preferablyprovided to take up the slack in the chain 30. r The top 13 of the drum12 is rigidly held in position by means of a plurality of angle braces32 which are fixed to the under side of said top and to the wall of thedrum.

7 The front ends of the side bars 14 are connected by the member 33which fits closely against the under side of the floor9 of the machineand prevents the entrance of air to the drum from this end of the de-The space bet-ween the rear ends of the side bars 14: is open and incommunication with the forward end of the dust channel 34: which isusually provided in machines of this character. Part of the dust whichis caused by the shelling of the corn falls below the rear cob carriermember9 and into the fan drum mounted on the machine in which the fan 35is arranged. This fan directs the dust and chaff into the channel 3e andin the present construction of such 'machines discharges the same fromthe forward end thereof. The discharge of the dust at this point isundesirable as it causes a continual cloud of dust around the machinewhich must be breathed by the operators. In the use of our device thedust is directed by the fan 35 into the drum 12. The drum is providedwith a discharge spout'36 to which a metallic conducting tube 37 isconnected. An elbow 38 may be fitted into the end of this tube andadjusted to direct the flow of the dust in accordance with the directionfrom which the wind may 7 be blowing.

In order to withdraw a portionof the dustfbefor'e the corn enters theshelling mechanism so as to facilitate the shelling operation andthoroughly denude the cobs,

.we provide a hood 39 which is mounted upon the sides of the frame ofthe feed elevator 6. The side barsof the hood gradually taper toward oneend so as to incline the hood reversely to the inclination of theelevator. Anair pipe 10 connects the center of the hood 39 with the drumof the fan 35,

- the rotation of said fan causing a powerful suction of air through thepipe 40 so that the dust is drawn into the fan drum and dischargedtogether with the other dust accumulation caused by the shelling of thecorn, into the passage 34 from whence it is carried off in the mannerpreviously described.

From the foregoing it is believed that the construction and operation ofour improved dust collecting device for use in combination with cornshelling machines will be readily understood. The construction of thesame is comparatively simple and it may be easily and quickly arrangedupon corn shelling machines now upon the market and in common use. Theshelled corn is thoroughly cleaned and greatly improved by partiallyremoving the dust from the corn on the cob as it enters the machine andthen removing and conveying all dust entirely away from the machineafter the cobs are shelled so that it will not be blown back upon theshelled corn as it is loaded into wagons or otherwise stored.Furthermore, the cobs which have been relieved of all particles of dustand chaff before they are discharged upon the stacker, are betteradapted for use as a fuel and consequently of higher value.

The most important result which is obtained by the use of the deviceresides in the fact that the air which must be inhaled by the operatoror operators is kept at all times perfectly pure and clean, thuseliminating the deleterious effects upon the health which is caused bythe operators being compelled to breathe the air from a stifiing cloudof dust which continually hovers about corn shelling machines when inoperation.

As the device comprises but very few elements in its construction, itwill be obvious that it is not liable to get out of order and requireextensive repairs.

\Vhile we have shown and described the preferred construction andarrangement of the various parts, it will be understood that the deviceis susceptible of considerable modification without dc arting from theessential feature or sacri cing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. Thecombination with a corn shelling machine including a feed elevator, cornshelling mechanism, and a cob carrier, of a suction device arrangedbeneath said carrier, said device comprising a drum into which dust fromthe denuded cobs on the carrier is adapted to be drawn, a fan in saiddrum, a discharge tube connected to the drum, a second fan carried bythe machine and disposed below the plane of said suction device, a dustconducting tube connected to said casing and having its open enddisposed above the elevator, said fan partially withdrawing thedustffrom the corn before it enters the shelling mechanism, and drivingthe same ,upwardly and into the drum of said suction device, the fan ofsaid suction device finally expelling the dustwhich is first drawn fromthe corn and that drawn from the denuded cobs, from the machine. a

2. The combination with a corn shelling machine including a feedelevator; corn shelling mechanism, and a cob carrier; of a suctiondevice arranged beneath said carrier,

said device comprising a drum, a fan mounted to rotate within said drumin a horizontal plane, a dust conducting tube connected to said drum, asecond fan mounted to rotate in a vertical plane and disposed below saidsuction device, said latdrawn from the denuded cobs it is expelled fromthe machine. Intestimony whereof nesses. l

CLYDE M. BUSHING.

Witnesses:

THOMAS T. LINDSAY, M. W. MAYES.

Copies of this patent may-be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. w I is p we hereunto aflix' our slgnatures 1n thepresence of two .Wlil- ALBERT J. WHEELER.

